SYRACUSE, N.Y. — On Monday, the Syracuse Common Councilors voted in favor of incentivizing snow plow operators in Syracuse to obtain a license to do so.
The new ordinance would keep the same price for obtaining a fleet’s first operator’s license at $250. The difference would lie in the subsequent licenses for plows in the fleet. Instead of the $250 fee for every additional truck, the Councilors dropped the fee to $50 per additional plow in the fleet.
The fine for operating a plow unlicensed has drastically shifted as well. Previously, there was an $150 fine for operating a plow without a proper operator’s license (compared to the $250 price of registration). Now, the fine is up to $350.
While these changes were just made earlier this week, the financial confusion behind operator’s licenses is not a new topic of conversation for the Council.
“It’s been like this for years,” says Syracuse Common Councilor At-Large Michael Greene. “It’s not a new issue.”
However, it seems to many, including the operators themselves, that this signifies an increase of focus for the Council.
“The City of Syracuse didn’t enforce it for a number of years, ” says Angelo Emmi, the Senior Vice President at OnSite Companies, who operates multiple plows within the Syracuse city limits. “They started enforcing it [I believe] last year.”
The Council would seem to agree.
“I think this new administration is taking a more comprehensive look at snow safety and snow removal,” says Greene. “This is obviously a piece of it, as private snow plowing.”
“I understand it, you know. I actually think it’s a good thing,” Emmi says regarding the changes. “It assures at least that the quality of the job and the equipment is up to standard, and someone is willing to do what’s right to be plowing snow in the City of Syracuse.”
